Dreary Day Diatom Dotting

[KurtM]

We had a few rainy days here a couple weeks ago, so I got in a little lab time while stuck in the house. I ran across a Pinnularia frustule that presented itself to advantage and took time to set up and shoot enough images to get a decent stack. Two things to note: first, one of Pinnularia's chief diagnostic features is chambered striae, and this fascinates me to no end. I'm always trying to get better views of it to better understand "how it works". Secondly, the frustule is obviously broken, and I actually like it that way; it's sort of a dissection, and actually helps show how these things are built.

Second image same as first, only with colors inverted, to better show chambered striae detail.

Third image is a Caloneis lewisii stack thrown in just because I liked that way it came out.

These are freshwater diatoms from the San Saba river near Fort McKavett, Texas that I gathered 5-19-16. Images shot through Zeiss WL, 63x/1.4 Planapo, DIC.

Diatom: Pinnularia gigas by Mau Air, on Flickr
Diatom: Pinnularia gigas by Mau Air, on Flickr
Diatom: Caloneis lewisii by Mau Air, on Flickr

[Rodney]

Really nice view of the damage.
Rodney

[billbillt]

These are great.. I am partial DIC...

BillT

[IanW]

These are great.. I am partial DIC...

BillT

They are indeed very good quality and sculptural in effect.

I am non DIC and wouldn't know where or how to begin:-(

[billbillt]

These are great.. I am partial DIC...

BillT

They are indeed very good quality and sculptural in effect.

I am non DIC and wouldn't know where or how to begin:-(

Hi Ian,

"I am partial DIC" was supposed to read "I am partial TOO DIC".. My mistake.. I have no DIC equipment here, but would one day like to have..

The Best,
BillT

[Francisco]

Nice!

[billben74]

Dreay day. Lovely results.

[KurtM]

Thanks for comments, all! DIC is certainly nice, but costly. I imagine everyone would have it if they could, but not a lot of folks are able or willing to sink big bucks into hobbies. I'm able to do it mostly because I'm foolish.

[apatientspider]

We had a few rainy days here a couple weeks ago, so I got in a little lab time while stuck in the house.

Hmm. I think I'll nominate Kurt for the title of Master of the Understatement. A few rainy days, indeed!

But to cases: I personally like the second image best. To my eyes it looks sharper and less cluttered somehow, even though it is the same image as number one but only with the colors inverted. I can make out the detail more easily.

Got a question: That is taken through a 63x objective but with a numerical aperture of 1.4 ? Did you use oil immersion?

Regards,

Jim

[JimT]

Kurt and all, I second Jim's nomination of "Master of the understatement".

Hope you and your neighbors and friends made it Ok.

BTW, very good images.

JimT

[KurtM]

Hmm. I think I'll nominate Kurt for the title of Master of the Understatement. A few rainy days, indeed!

Well I don't want to stretch things, that's for sure. But I think it's safe to say the drought's over in H town, anyway.

Mr. W, it's always great to hear from you, and I'm mighty thankful you're okay! I saw diatom images with inverted colors for the first time right here on this forum, and it blew me away. My eyes agree: detail tends to leap out. I also become a bigger fan all the time of having any one subject shown in multiple illumination configurations - wasn't it one of those early pioneering microscopists who said he can't really describe any microorganism until he's observed it in "all the lights"? I'm with that guy. While inverting colors (in GIMP in this case) isn't an illumination technique, it's still a technique for seeing a subject in a different light, and I think a great tool. Very easy, too.

Thank you, Mr. T. A lot of us escaped the worst, and we're counting our blessings like never before.

(In case someone should run across this thread in the future, we're referring to Harvey the Hurricane hitting Texas in August 2017.)

[vasselle]

Bonjour
Superbes images
Cordialement seb